....Franks said U.S. air patrols are keeping a closer eye on the movements of Iraqi surface-to-surface missiles because of the threat they pose to tens of thousands of U.S. and allied forces gathering in Kuwait.

Another senior U.S. military officer said the Turkish government recently eased its restrictions on the kinds of targets U.S. and British planes may strike in northern Iraq because the Turks are concerned that Iraq might use its surface-to-surface missiles to hit southern Turkey. The British and U.S. planes that patrol northern Iraq fly from Incirlik air base in Turkey. [Washington Post]

Blair gets support from Parliament:

Prime Minister Tony Blair weathered the biggest revolt of his term from within the ruling Labor Party and won a parliamentary endorsement tonight for his pro-American position on the Iraq crisis.

Backed by the opposition Conservative Party, Blair prevailed handily in the House of Commons, by a vote of 393 to 199, and defeated a motion that said the case for war against Iraq had not yet been proven.

....But Ann Clwyd, a member of the Labor Party, declared she would support the war to help ease Iraqi suffering. Citing the torture and murder of civilians, she asked: "When I hear people calling for more time, I say who's going to speak up for those victims? Who is to help the victims of Saddam Hussein's regime unless we do?" [Washington Post]

The Iraqis are scurrying about:

U.S. intelligence has detected Iraqi President Saddam Hussein moving some elite army troops into new positions as time ticks down toward a possible U.S. invasion to disarm and overthrow him.

In recent days, trucks have been sent to the north to pick up members of his Republican Guard and reposition them around Saddam's hometown of Tikrit, 100 miles north of the capital, two defense officials said on condition of anonymity.

It is widely believed that American war plans call for the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division, supported by elements of the 1st Infantry Division, to gather in Turkey to Iraq's north for a possible thrust south toward Tikrit and the capital of Baghdad.

U.S. and Turkish officials in the last few days finished drawn-out negotiations on an agreement that would allow American troops to be base in Turkey.

CNN reported ''more than 100 trucks'' have been seen transporting guard troops.

One official said that with the recently detected movement, Saddam risks splitting his better forces. That could require him to replace those forces up north with regular army, which have lower morale and are not as professional.

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